The present invention relates to a leg spreading device to be mounted in a milking stall, wherein the leg spreading device comprises a first raised surface defined by a left side edge and a second raised surface defined by a right side edge, and wherein the leg spreading device is mounted in a position in the milking stall such that the raised surfaces is located between the rear legs of an animal standing in a milking position in the milking stall and wherein a transverse distance (w) between the left side edge of the first raised surface and the right side edge of the second raised surface defines the width between the rear legs of the animal.
In parallel milking parlour systems, the milking stalls may be arranged on a rotary platform or at a pit. The teat cups may here be attached to the teats of the cows in the milking stalls via the space between the rear legs of the cows. The teat cups may be manually attached by an operator or automatically attached by a robot arm from a non-operating position at a rear edge portion of the milking stalls. When a robot arm is used, it is important that the rear legs are at a suitable distance from each other such that it is possible to move the robot arm and the teat cups via the space between the rear legs without hitting the legs.
NZ 575037 shows a leg spreader to be arranged in a milking stall in order to secure that a sufficient space is created between the rear legs of an animal. The leg spreader has a raised surface difficult to stand on with a substantially constant width in a lateral direction which defines a desired space between the rear legs of an animal. It is here a risk that an animal places the rear legs at a relatively long distance from the rear edge portion of the milking stall such that it is difficult for an operator or a robot arm to reach the teats from a position outside a rear edge of the milking stall.
AU 156728 S shows a leg spreading device formed as a unit with two parallel raised surfaces. The transverse distance between the outer side edges of the raised surfaces are parallel. It is also in this case a risk that an animal places the rear legs at a relatively long distance from the rear edge portion of the milking stall.